How to Create a Step-by-Step Guide

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What is a step-by-step guide?

A step-by-step guide is a detailed instruction describing the process of performing a task from start to finish.

This is used to document the process of accomplishing a task or activity. It saves time and makes for better service delivery.

You can use this process documentation to accomplish the following:

Developing a comprehensive step-by-step process enhances information exchange within your organization, community, or among your peers.

Making effective knowledge sharing a part of your company culture helps to boost collaboration, teamwork, and access to information.

Customer support

From teaching a customer how to use a product to troubleshooting a problem, a step-by-step guide helps to improve the customer experience and overall customer satisfaction.

Whether you are onboarding a new user or teaching a customer how to download a feature, showing them how to do it with a detailed manual will help you save time.

Some customers prefer trying out the self-service option before contacting support anytime they encounter a problem.

Thus, your knowledge base should have an adequate stepwise process on how they can fix the issue themselves.

If they can utilize your tutorial as a guide to use your product or service, they would be happier for it. It is time effective, which is a win-win for both parties.

Onboarding new hires

To train new hires on your organization's processes, your self-serve learning sources should include how-to guides for your procedures.

Onboarding them to understand the workflow will help them quickly catch up on their new roles. It provides better clarity and makes the process easier for them to adopt, and eliminates any atom of confusion.

Introducing a new work tool

If you are trying to introduce a new feature or software to your team, adoption is critical for its implementation. You do not have to assume they already know how to use the software. Instead, you need to demonstrate and guide them.

Identify their pain points and put yourself in their shoes. Have you ever been frustrated because the new software introduced in your company is too technical for you?

Preparing your team to accept this new technology will increase employee engagement and build competence.

Creating a step-by-step guide will shorten the learning curve and reduce the need for in-person training.

Standardized process documentation

Standardization of your organization's process for operational efficiency requires consistency. Employees may have different ways of performing the same task in your organization which can sometimes be prone to errors and variations in output.

But creating a central source for your company's work process using stepwise standardized documentation will optimize the workflow and improve service delivery.

Also, with the prevalence of remote work, where your employees are scattered all over the globe, your organization will benefit from this clear documentation to ensure everyone is on the same page.

How to build effective step-by-step guides

Creating an effective step-by-step guide demands designing comprehensive, actionable steps that will enable the reader to accomplish their goal.

Here are 5 simple steps involved in developing effective instructions:

Step 1: Identify the problem /process

This is the first step involved in creating a step-by-step guide. Start by identifying the process or problem you wish to solve. You can do so by researching the essential processes you need to document.

Talk to the employees in your organization to understand the processes that require documentation.

Start from a generic topic, then narrow it down to a specific topic.

Step 2: Define the target audience

What is the purpose of the documentation? Is it for new hires or to onboard new customers? The answers to these questions will help define the audience and help you to create a contextual guide.

This will serve as a framework to address the specific problem they are experiencing.

For instance, creating a guide to teach your customers how to use one of your product features will differ from a guide targeted at your employees.

The latter are already familiar with the company’s terminologies, so you can use them freely. But your customers may not be familiar with these terms.

Therefore your guide should focus on their pain points and provide relevant solutions.

Step 3: Automate the process

This step depends on the knowledge you are sharing. If it requires recording the process on your screen, leveraging digital tools to automate your guide will ensure a streamlined process.

Digital tools, such as Splainy, will help you capture the process on your screen and generate a step-by-step guide in a format that is easily shareable.

This will make the guide interactive, accessible, and engaging for the target audience. They can use any digital device or any browser to view the instructions.

But if you are creating it manually, proceed to the next step.

Step 4: Outline each step of the process

To ensure you get all the critical details in the documentation process, you need to draft an outline of each step of the process. Include milestones so you can measure progress as you go.

Because this is just a draft, it does not have to be in order. Just create a rough sketch that captures all the processes.

Step 5: Develop the content for each step

Now that you have the outline, it's time to flesh out the details. In this step, you have to write it in the correct order. Write in a precise manner to ensure better comprehension.

Also include illustrations such as images, screenshots, videos, or any visual element you deem fit.

Tips for writing the best instructions in step-by-step guides

To create a valuable guide, there are practical tips you can utilize to make the process easier to follow for the audience. Here are some of them.

1. Use simple language

When writing your guide, you need to use simple language. Therefore, eliminate any complex terminology that will make it hard for the user to follow.

The whole idea of a how-to guide is to simplify a complex process. The terms used should be in simple language to make the instruction easier to convey and to avoid any form of miscommunication.

2. Use concise language with actionable steps

The phrases you use should be short, clear, and straight to the point. You should employ action words and imperative verbs because users love to be told what to do.

For example, instead of "consider contacting support, " say, "contact support."

3. Be consistent

Consistency is an essential element suitable for effective guides. Using terminology and labeling consistently.

If you've been using a particular word from the start of the guide, especially if it's a technical term, you have to be consistent with its usage. Keep the same word when you're referring to the same thing.

For instance, if you've been using "click on the accept button," do not change it to "click on the accept icon" in any part of the guide.

Though they may both mean the same thing, you must be consistent to avoid confusion.

4. Use headings to label each step

Each step should be labeled with a heading to make it easier for the customer to find the instruction. They can easily trace the heading if they are stuck at any stage.

5. Include numbered list

Use a numbered list to enumerate the steps in a logical order to make it easier for the user to complete each step.

6. Well-defined structure

Structuring your guide will make it easy to follow to ensure it isn't chaotic. It must have practical steps arranged in such a way that one step should lead to another step.

Each step should be structured so the readers can see how it will address their problem.

This is particularly important when you're creating a multi-step guide. It should include categories and subcategories for every step.

Break it down into bite-sized tasks, with each step containing information on how to tackle them.

It will ensure that your audience is satisfied when viewing them, and it will also enhance comprehension.

7. Focus on the pain point of the reader

Your guide should focus on the pain point of the reader by helping them understand a feature/ product or help them solve a problem.

Avoid including any unnecessary details that they do not need.

In this case, assume you're the audience and find out what they would love to know about the problem.

8. Address the reader directly

When creating a guide, you have to address the reader like you're conversing with them.

They have to visualize you talking to them and telling them to take action.

For instance, you should use "log in to your email" instead of "the customer should log in to their email."

9. Incorporate specific details

When creating a step-by-step guide, you must include specific details to help the user navigate the process. Please do not assume they know it all. That is why you need to be as detailed as possible.

For instance, if you need them to go to their phone settings to do something, you have to show them how to locate that feature in their phone settings.

However, this depends on the target audience of the guide.

10. Integrate visual components

This is a vital aspect of a step-by-step guide. Incorporating visual elements such as screenshots, images and videos is one way of creating a valuable tutorial.

People comprehend information differently. While some may be able to solve a problem by simply reading about the solution, some will prefer visualizing the instructions.

Using these visual components to show them the practical steps will make it easier for them to grasp.

11. Collaborate with experts

Subject matter experts are necessary to create a helpful guide. Their insight and contribution are essential because they are in a better position to provide valuable knowledge about the tools, their functions, and procedures.

12. Always proofread

Ensure you proofread your guide before uploading. Check it out for correct grammar, lexis, and structure or any error that may disrupt the whole process for the user.

You can also give it to the experts to check it out.

13. Make it easily accessible and shareable

Your readers should easily access the guide in any format without leaving the application they are using to access it.

Ensure they do not need to go to a YouTube video or download a file to be able to access it. Let it be embedded in the application they are using.

Also, it should be easily searchable and shareable. That way, users will be able to easily find the information they are looking for.

Or in the case of your employees, they can easily pull up information to answer a customer query by typing a simple search term without wasting the customer's time.

Some applications, such as Splainy, help generate an easily accessible and shareable guide.

14. Update frequently

Changes usually occur in your organization. Perhaps an update in your product features. Your guide should be updated frequently to reflect these changes and ensure they align.

Conclusion

In general, step-by-step guides are necessary for knowledge sharing, onboarding new hires, customer support, and training employees.

Therefore, creating step-by-step guides should involve careful planning to engage with the user better.

A good step-by-step guide requires you to identify the problem/process, define the target audience, outline the process, and develop the content.

Get started with Splainy to capture your process and create an easily accessible guide.